Super Master: Hiltbrand returns to winning ways
The WSK Super Masters series kicked off just 1 week after the Champions Cup in Adria. The Italian circuit again played host to some of the best drivers in the world.
Again, the new breed of OK drivers were fast from the get go, with Nikita Bedrin topping the time sheets in qualifying ahead of Enzo Trulli and Andrea Antonelli. Champions Cup winner Taylor Barnard was 9th in the standings behind the likes of Dilano Van T Hoff and Harry Thompson.
The heats saw the experience of some drivers start to shine through, with Kirill Smal rising to the top, winning all of his heats. Tony Kart’s Joe Turney snapped up 2nd in the standings taking a pair of wins with Enzo Trulli the top driver not to win a heat in 3rd. Bedrin had a tough run in his 2nd heat, as a result he sat 11th in the standings behind Pedro Hiltbrand who had qualified in 36th!
PreFinal A saw James Wharton take victory from 5th on the grid, giving him a front row start for the final. Smal ended the encounter in 2nd with Rob De Haan holding station in 3rd. Just scraping through the pre-finals was Josep Marti who had an impressive run just a week ago at the champions cup. Pre Final B was a lights to flag win for Joe Turney ahead of junior world champion Thomas Ten Brinke and the recovering Hiltbrand. Thompson moved up to 4th at the expense of Barnard.
Turney and Hiltbrand took the early lead shuffling Wharton back down to 4th behind Ten Brinke. Wharton had early pressure from Thompson, dropping to 5th on the 2nd lap. Ten Brinke wasted no time getting passed Hiltbrand, but after just a few laps he fell foul to Thompson and Hiltbrand. The dutchman would later retire with 6 to go. A man on the move was Smal. The Energy man was climbing up the order from 5th, and with 5 laps to go, he was up in 2nd and catching Turney for the lead.
With just three laps to go it all kicked off. Smal had a look down the inside of Turney at the first hairpin, but the pair came together. They were able to rejoin, but Turney was now out of contention for the podium. That left Hiltbrand, Barnard, Vant Hoff and Thompson clear at the front. It was now a straight fight between Hiltbrand and Barnard for the win, with the Spanish world champion coming out on top over the young Rosberg Racing man. Completing the podium was Dilano Van T Hoff ahead of Harry Thompson. Turney finished the encounter in 6th after a penalty for Smal.
